The Tyde's Three's Co.

I've actually never heard of The Tyde before. But just based on the band's name, along with my discovery that they're from California, as well as seeing a picture of big signs saying "swim" and "surf" on the CD booklet, I was pretty much prepared to drown miserably in sickeningly happy pop tunes.

But this band surprised me.

The album opener, "Do it Again Again", actually misled me to believe that my expectations were true. However, sometimes, it takes time for things to grow on you and this song has quickly transformed from a mediocre dance song into something rather catchy.

Songs like "Brock Landers" and "Separate Cars" drive me crazy. Not because they sound horrible, but because they're eerily similar to songs I love. Unfortunately, I can't for the life of me remember which songs those are, nor can I remember what band The Tyde is channeling that it's difficult to say if it's just being an unoriginal ripoff.

The first few seconds of the last song on the album, "Don't Need a Leash" sounds just like "Let it Be" by the Beatles only to veer off into the tune of another very familiar song...which again, I sadly can't remember.

Ultimately, Three's Co. is surprising because it is an album that will make you forget that it's "music for surfers" conjured up by a band from sunny California. Instead, it will make you desperate to recall all the bands and artists you've ever listened to. And now that I think about it, maybe The Tyde doesn't just sound like one particular band but a number of bands, and possibly has influences which span more than one decade - all these aspects molded to produce a unique sound while remaining to sound strongly familiar.